5 comments about Killer Elite: The Inside Story of America's Most Secret Special Operations Team.

1. This book MAY be informative to a reader who is NOT familiar with Special Forces/Special Operations.
   That said, I think there are other books that I would place MUCH higher on the list.
   
   Smith writes on the stove piping of intelligence; the past 28 years of Special Forces/Ops developments; the Big Army dislike and distrust of Special Forces; SF's "audacity" to create the form of intell service to suit their needs; that the "Activity" would morph into a being unto itself; Rumsfeld's favor of SpecOps, etc.
   
   Smith tries to portray a secret army. It's sanitized to the point where he fails to even elaborate on many of the more interesting participants who he does refer to. For example, Bill Cowan is brought up numerous times. Smith could devote a book just to him, but again, fails to draw out the character.
   
   Of particular interest to me was Smith's assertion that The Activity's view was that Task Force Ranger was a success. For their mission, it might be construed as such, but I'm skeptical of Smith's conclusions.
   
   I would have liked to have seen Task Force Ranger thru Garrison's eyes as the #1 guy...he was once with The Activity. Does HE share Smith's assessment of The Activity's definition of success...from ANY vantage???
   
   A book like this is tough to write. Smith does do a good job placing events in chronological order and detailing some operational aspects.
   
   But for the more informed reader, this is a dry re-read that I would not recommend. I have to question if this isn't just another book published to capitalize of the spotlight and popularity of Special Operations.



2. I enjoyed Killer Elite, it is a very interesting look into a military unit many people don't even know exists. There are a myriad of books available on top secret commandos like Delta Force and the SAS, but precious little is written about the people who enable them to do their jobs.
   
   That being said this book can be very dry in places and tough to get through. It is also written from a big picture view point, meaning you aren't going to get war stories from the grunts in the weeds doing the work. It is a good read if you are interested into the subject matter. But if you are looking for an exciting book detailing some amazing special forces stories that is a true page turner, this book isn't it.



3. One gets the feeling there might have been a good book here but for security restraints imposed on the writer. The title's claim of "Killer Elite" isn't borne out by the text inside. Elite or not, there is so little actual infomration the reader will never know.



4. I can pretty well guarantee you that Tom Clancy has already read this book - it assures us that the people who need to die have been doing just that in the US/British war against terror worldwide. (I've personally thought about this theme of Clancy's re: playing God but it's a non-issue for me in the present context). The rules have changed for the military - mercilessly exposed are also the bureaucratic and cowardly butt covering bungling within the inner workings of the military organization proper. The one bright light is ironically the resurgence of a secret unit to serve this purpose via new support for it at the highest levels of government...post 9/11. If you're interested in how things really get done around the world, or if you know the significance of the word "special" when applied to the military, (another Clancyism), are interested in electronic communications, or possibly in politics, this book will broaden your horizons. Unless ofcourse you just don't want to know - as Jack Nicholson famously said on screen ... "You can't handle the truth ... we live in a world with walls lieutenant..."



5. if one can't find any Bo Gritz books
   at Bo's site or here on amazon. Bo
   gets good mention in here as well!

5 comments about Elite Forces Manual of Mental and Physical Endurance: How to Reach Your Physical and Mental Peak.

1. Good for a general idea of special forces training regimen, but doesn't delve deep enough into the actual training. Very little combat training info, good for a general read but definitely not nuts and bolts type stuff I expected.



2. This book does excellent job of covering overall the subject comprehensively, with good illustrations and does not bog down into detail, or focus to the point of excessive respectivity. Is seems to me a good phy. ed. starter for any age experienced with reading.



3. Overall I was rather disappointed with this book. It wastes several pages on "inspirational" stories, and although it discusses mental aspects such as confidence and goal setting, there isn't particularly anything that you couldn't figure out for yourself. Same with most of the treatment on physical conditioning. Anyone with some background in sports or fitness and halfway decent intelligence could figure out most of if for themselves. It mentions specific fitness requirements for a few elite units, but you could probably get the same info just by going to a recruiter (who would probably have the most up-to-date information anyway). There are a few useful tips on nutrition and survival techniques, as well as a few hand-to-hand combat techniques, but overall I wouldn't rate this book as being worth buying.



4. There were some good pointers, though it may not be for everyone. A good reference guide for all of us who are trying to better our physical endurance.



5. "Elite Forces Manual of Mental and Physical Endurance: How to Reach Your Physical and Mental Peak" was purchased as a gift for my son who is in the Air Force. He has a keen interest in pursuing physical conditioning and well-being, and was satisfied with the instruction rendered by this text.

5 comments about The Warrior Elite: The Forging of SEAL Class 228.

1. This is an excellent book not just for the military junkie, but for anyone who needs to take action in their life. What these BUD/S trainees go through every single day is more exciting than an average workout all week. The stories in the first 3/4 of the book are enthralling. The end kind of drags, but there's some excellent words of advice from the author that you can take with you to live an inspiring life. Easy read from cover to cover.



2. There's a lot to like about this book. Couch - a SEAL himself - had unprecedented access to the SEAL training program, and was given a wide berth to write about it in detail. As an overview of an incredibly grueling training process, with access most of us will never have, it's solid.
   
   Ultimately, however, Couch isn't up to the task of documenting what's put before him. The writing is intensely mediocre.
   
   First, he fails to adequately some activities (such as log PT) well enough for the reader to actually understand what's going on. This is a common mistake among writers with inadequate editorial guidance. He doesn't know what his readers don't know, so fails to explain some things.
   
   Secondly, Couch doesn't dig to find stories. At the end of the book, you don't feel like you know the members of class 228 as individuals. Sure, you can recite the litany of body-breaking obstacles they overcame, but who are they? Why should we care about these people? Only a few of them are singled out for meaningful individual comment, and they get praise of the blandest variety. No personality comes through.
   
   Lastly, Couch doesn't get into the nitty-gritty of tactical training at all. Evidently there's a technique which helps the trainees swim faster, but Couch can't be bothered with so much as a paragraph to explain what it is. We're told the trainees study military tactics, but the tactics themselves are never explained. Technical detail - so I learned something about how SEALs think and operate - could have compensated for Couch's failure to find individual stories, but is sadly absent from this book.
   
   I have a few friends who were SEALs and this book definitely increased my respect for them. I can't imagine going through what they went though.
   
   On the other hand, I learn more about what SEALs do, and how they do it, from one of my friends' stories than I did from this book. There was tremendous potential in what Couch set off to accomplish ... but sadly, he didn't reach it.



3. I got it quickly and in tact. It's a great blow by blow of as much of the process as you're gonna get without actually being there. It's a great read and I finished it in about a week or so. I also own the BUDS CLASS 234 DVDs and the amount of detail that this book offers over the DVDs fully justifies buying it. You won't be disappointed.



4. Ever wonder if you would be able to make it through SEAL school ??
   
   This will make you think long and hard about it.
   
   If you can make it through the fitness tests, and the skills tests and the water tests, all the time having a fresh set of Instructors in your face, everytime you breath wrong.
   
   You get to "try" and make it through "Hell Week", not many do.....
   
   Having been a "guest" Instructor, I can say, this book is as close as you can come to being in SEAL school, without being a "sand cookie".



5. This book was excellent and I know at least a few other guys that I went through similar USAF training with that used it as motivation. It is well written and you can clearly see the author's care for his subject.

5 comments about Inside Delta Force: The Story of America's Elite Counterterrorist Unit.

1. books were birthday gift for husband a retired army vet and he is enjoying them thank you Yvonne



2. As a huge fan of The Unit, and a history buff, it made sense to branch out into the various military histories. I'd read Marcinko's Rogue Warrior and that was great, but writing could have been better. Also Beckwith's Delta Force and found that to be lacking, so I naturally branched out to Haney's account of his experiences with Delta Force. I was not disappointed. Did the book can easily be broken apart into three main sections: Selection, Training and Action.
   
   Haney did a great job in describing the selection process that he went through to become a Delta candidate. I felt as though I was with him there on his forced marches, that I was seeing everything through his eyes. He would introduce little anecdotes, such as "The Man Who Walked His Feet Off at Delta Force Selection", or the soldier who rode on the back of a motorcycle the last miles of a forced march. Through it all we see how determined and full of spirit he was as he completed each leg of the selection.
   
   Then he gave us an inside account of the actual training they went through. It seems surreal to be able to enter a room after a flash bang and within three seconds shoot and kill all the terrorists hidden amongst the various hostages. Such speed and accuracy is almost unbelievable, but is par for the course.
   
   Finally we get to see the Iran fiasco that completely fell apart. To this point we still hadn't seen much action and yet I was still riveted to the story he was telling. Then he launched into descriptions of the various missions that he and his fellow operators went on in the Middle East and in the Latin countries.
   
   Through it all we get a bared to the world and honest account, the good and the bad of it all. It is this that lends the credibility to what Haney was writing about. Then to top it all off the writing is actually good writing (as opposed to Marcinko and Beckwith), which allows for the reader to become invested in what was being told.
   
   I would definitely recommend for any history buff, especially someone looking for military history. Haney was a great soldier and patriot, and he is also a great author and spokesman.
   
   5 stars.



3. I was very impressed with this account of Mr. Haney's service with Delta Force. I found it to be much better then the Rouge Warrior books. Mr. Haney is obviously a true professional. There are many stories in the book that have been played out in the tv show The Unit. I would love to hear more stories from Mr. Haney's service in Delta Force. As a former Marine I understand the sacrifices that these brave men have made. Semper Fi!



4. Fascinating reading. I liked the understated style of writing and found it a compeling read. The information concerning the depth and detail of their training was impressive. The author gives a vivid accounting of the failed rescue attempt in Iran. I would like to hear more from this author in his second career in dealing with child rescues.



5. I read this book after being a long-time fan of "The Unit". Haney gets straight into how he came to selection with Delta then spends the rest of the book giving generally matter of fact no nonsense descriptions of his time in Delta. Having read a number of books on the special forces world it was interesting finally reading something about Delta Force and I really enjoyed Haneys book. The most memorable thing is how much of Delta Force is taken directly from the SAS. I knew they were inspired by the UK's finest but I didnt realise they were a direct copy! Most of the component arts of Delta are lifted from the SAS - and they rarely even bothered to change names!!!
   Good Book though!

5 comments about House to House.

1. the so-called "synopsis" posted for this book is really a slanted mini-review where the writer can barely hide his disdain for this book, the author and anyone who may find it interesting. Amazon needs to save this for the review section.



2. Read this outstanding book on my recent flight to DC and back. It is a great account of urban warfare. Recommended read for others.



3. Adrenalin pumping action. This author gives you a first hand look at the almost unbearable stress of door kicking combat. You have to ask yourself how these soldiers take it...............and wonder if you could take it. Faced every day with forcing your way into houses that might be an ambush and very well may hold madmen dedicated to killing you is an unending nightmare. To say these soldiers have guts is a gigantic understatement.



4. I enjoyed this book. Bellavia did a very good job at recording the little things, like when they are clearing houses & they find a MIG 22 being used as a giant house born IED, and the insurgents line the inside walls with propane tanks so if you fire & miss the whole house will go up with you in it & also they use little shards of glass mounted on shelves around corners so they can see exactly when your gonna peak around the corner & take a chunk out of your shoulder.
   Very informative.Dont wanna give too much away. Worth the purchase all the way.



5. What an amazingly written book! SSG Bellavia writes about his experiences in the war zone so well it was hard to put this book down. My eyes could be weary from reading so many pages, my body could be telling me I need to go to sleep, but I just couldn't find a good place to put this book down. I wanted to turn the next page, I wanted to find out what happened next. Amazing book about sacrifice, honor and TONS of courage. A must read!!

5 comments about Chosen Soldier: The Making of a Special Forces Warrior.

1. I remember having a conversation with a friend of mine and we were trying to figure out what training produced a more deadly efficent incredible (man/soldier/warrior) although, I am more biased towards the navy seals, as my son is one, my friend was formerly in the special forces. He recommended that I read this book and I am amazed once again at what people are capable of learning and doing. It truly is amazing the types of situations these soldiers get themselves into and out of, what they have to do to get there, what they have to do once they're there, and what they have to do to get home. I can't say enough how interesting this book is. I enjoyed it a lot as you might be able to tell from my review.



2. This is a great book on Special Forces. The author, Dick Couch, was offered complete access to thhe Special Forces training process. And he has experiance in being a Spec Op, he was a U.S. Navy SEAL.
   
   This book, covers the whole training and selection process. And it even includes some pictures.
   
   Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone that is interested in being a Green Beret, or any type of Special Forces, or to anyone that loves reading these kind of books.
   
   5/5



3. Mr. Couch had the privelege of tagging along with a group of SF candidates throughout their selection and training process - his book offers a level of candidness and insight that only such first-hand experience can provide. His background as a Navy SEAL allows him to accurately highlight the crucial differences between the modus operandi of Army and Navy SOF - differences of which not many are aware. If you want to know about the road to becoming an Army Special Forces solider and the caliber of man it takes to travel it, this is an outstanding choice.



4. Dick Couch has provided great insight into the selection and training of one or our premier units.
   He has a great blend of personal and training highlights that give a great feel for the making of a SF soldier.
   Highly recommended for those wanting to know more about the making of the next greatest generation.



5. My son is a Green Beret, and I had only heard a few of his stories about the intensive training that he went through. This was a real eye-opener for me to see exactly what went on. He was able to identify some of the cadre who had fictitious names assigned by the author.
   
   If anyone is interested is signing up for SF, they need to read this book to get the real inside story.

5 comments about Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army.

1. I read everything from far right to far left. I stopped reading this book on page 44, the first book I have not completed in maybe a decade. Mr. Scahill apparently believes that one uses the first 40 pages of a book to destroy the reputations of the people he will be discussing for the rest of the book.
   
   In his preface, the author indicates that the Blackwater team refused to be interviewed for the book and as a reader I could not imagine why. After 40 pages, I knew that the presentation would be so slanted that there would have been no reason for the Blackwater executives to even considered an interview. ------ too bad, I really wanted to know about the company.
   
   Page 12: "As he grew older, Erik became increasingly active in right-wing politics, landing a six-month internship in George H. W. Bush's White House" ---- If you like this and enjoy the terms: right-wing, Christian (with non-flattering adjectives), neo-conservative manefesto etc., this is the book for you.



2. The author provides a great deal of information on how Blackwater came into being and some information on their operations and incidents prior to the campaigns of the US military in Iraq. He goes through extraordinary efforts to speak about the Christian religious affiliation of the founder, Mr. Prince as well as discussions of many of the employees of the company from low level to former politicos. I was not at all thrilled with the absolute liberal bias and anti-Christian or Judeo-Christian sentiment of the author. Further, his bias towards what is conservative, i.e. G.W. Bush and his crowd became a distractor for and diverted from what could have been more indepth reporting on Blackwater. I would have preferred him writing about what facilities and training they put teams through, more on criteria for accepting jobs, etc. He did not provide this. I will point out that I am not religious, never attend religious events of any faith and yet this authors attitude toward Christianity left me disgusted with him as an author. He makes Blackwater out to be a Christian Army organization. He speaks of securing the US Border and Blackwater's relationship to that and those who want a secure border as anti-immigrant and not anti-illegal/criminal immigration. He did provide some insight on hurricane Katrina and Blackwater which I did not know and did not like, but the overall information and tenor of his book was not as much on Blackwater as it was a statement against the American Right and "Neo Cons" and Christians. I am a current military officer serving and have my own biases, but this was very much like a NY Times expose' on individuals and not the story of Blackwater. But, if he had not written this way he could have wrote the story for a Time Magazine article of less than 10 pages.
   I have read many other books and listened to many audio books pro and con on the War on Terror. Fiasco was well written and although the author had some biases he kept those in check by staying on topic and not dwelling on individuals.
   My view is that this book will not provide you much more than you can get on reading articles about the Fallujah incident in the news and off the internet. It is sad to say I will not purchase or read another book by this author due to his underlying bias.



3. We live in a world where 1984 is a silly cartoon in comparison. Wake up America and put a tax end to this nightmare!



4. Funny that I call this a "must read," then give it three stars.
   
   To explain, first, I listened to the recorded version of the book. I still don't like that medium much. In the case of this book, the subject matter MUST be studied, investigated. In the recorded version there are no "footnotes," so those who purport to dislike the book can say, "There's no footnotes so it has no credibility." Nonsense, to be sure, but you'll see the argument. Next, again, the subject is so terribly important. Indeed, many who're taking part in the mercenary war should be tried for treason. So the "paper" record needs to be availble so that more people know what's really going on in that debacle we call a "war."
   
   So, what is it that makes Iraq an unusual situation in our country's history? Aside from the massive debt we're building to pay for it, we're relying on mercenaries, paid troops, who're making immeasurably more than the troops who're putting their lives on the line.
   
   And what connection does that mercenary war have with, say, religion? Well, the Bush administration has been notorious for cronyism. Even conservatives have noted that, people hardly qualified sliding into UN positions, FEMA positions, Pentagon positions. It's true that "it's not what you know, it's who you know." And Dubya's connections with the "religious" have paid the latter off. That's come up in countless books, now in Scahill's.
   
   I wish I had more detail but, frankly, I finished this about a week ago and, again, it doesn't sink in like it would had I had the time to actually read it.
   
   The only objection I have to the text is that it does tend to be quite repetitive. A few times, I thought that maybe I'd slipped an earlier disk into the player as I'd heard the same lines before. That seems trivial but it can be disconcerting.
   
   In short, this is a book that every legislator should read before conducting a complete investigation into the mercenary industry that is costing us taxpayers dearly. Read it...and act!



5. Wow am I scared! - not for the `Black Helicopters' and the evil Christian mercenaries. I'm scared because more than 70% of the readers of this monstrosity rated it higher than `one-star'. This book is nothing but cover-to-cover radical left-wing propaganda (literally cover-to-cover - check out the accolades on the back from the notoriously `honest' Michael Moore). The thesis of the book is that crazy Christians, assisted by neo-cons and good ol' Big Oil, are trying to take over the world with their new blood-thirsty `guns-for-hire' army (at least I think that's the thesis - book jumps from one ramble to another, throughout). U.S. Troops are disparaged at every opportunity; accused of war-crimes; massacring civilians; blowing up mosques; and so on (all the standard stuff). The author is sneaky: when the "resistance fighters" conduct a "resistance attack" (yes, these are the author's terms), it is phrased in the passive, "A grenade was thrown into the building." No mention of the brutal Iraqi on Iraqi savagery that plagued stability efforts - doesn't fit the message - think children with kites...and then bombs, bombs, and more bombs. The main stream media is too far right for him - the truth comes only from Al Jazeera. Like I said - the most frightening aspect of this book is that a majority of readers seem to be biting on this guy's hook - we're in big big trouble.

5 comments about Killer Secrets (Tempting SEALs).

1. Ian Richards lost his normal life and his SEAL team upon acknowledging he was the son of Diego Fuentes. Even though it was for a good reason and he is illegitimate, it has placed Ian on the most wanted list for the majority of the world. Now Ian has become a hard playing, bad boy who is taking over his own father's cartel. In a world where actions count and danger is a daily occurrence, no one is sure just which side Ian is working for. Things seem to be going to Ian's plan, whatever that is, until a shadow from his past appears.
   
   Kira Porter has shadowed Ian and the others on his SEAL team for years while working for the Department of Homeland Security. Kira has become a perfect shadow except that Ian has always been able to pick her out no matter what, so this time Kira didn't bother to try and hide her arrival. Kira is not sure what Ian is up to but she knows it's not the face he is showing to the world.
   
   Ian doesn't need the problems that Kira is going to bring him, but he can't deny the lust that has existed between them for years. Giving in to the passion that the lust covers will place them both in even more danger, however Kira knows it a chance worth taking. As events start unraveling, Ian and Kira have a very tight line to walk, especially when neither has come totally clean with the other. When the true targets become known and the danger is escalated, will the budding trust and relationship between Ian and Kira bring them through or will the secrets of their jobs rule the day?
   
   Let me just say first off, Killer Secrets is darker and edgier than the earlier SEAL books, but for Ian it had to be. Ian has denied his background his entire life until recently and now the price on his head grows every day. Kira believes that the core of Ian has not changed and is determined to follow him and help in whatever way she can. I was pretty much held spellbound by Ian and Kira and the danger they had to tiptoe through everyday. I think erotic is a mild word for when Kira and Ian came together, however each and every time gave me the shivers. I was expecting a lot from Ian's story and I knew it would have to be dark, however Ms. Leigh blew me away on just how dark and erotic and yet satisfying it was. I highly recommend Killer Secrets, in fact I Joyfully Recommend it.
   
   Jo
   reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed



2. Any hope at finding a plot is lost in completely unbelievable and ridiculously frequent sex scenes. Not even remotely suspensful or intriguing.



3. I have been intrigued with Kira and Ian since Forbidden Agendas and I am so happy that they got their own story. And what a story! Clearly it's a Lora Leigh and the sex scenes are fantastically hot as usual. But I like how Kira and Ian connect with each other - you never doubt their feelings even if you sometimes wonder how everything will turn out in the end. One thing - a scene is referenced that happened during the time period of Forbidden Agendas but it's not in that book! Please Ms. Leigh - can you be nice to your fans and have that show up as a deleted scene on your website?



4. I love this series. It has all my favorites: suspense, action, attitude, alpha men, and hot erotic sex. Love it and love Lora Leigh.



5. This is a pretty boring book. Was Lora Leigh in a hurry while writing it? I hope her next one will be better. :)) You know, I think Lora Leigh copies Feehan in many ways...(especially in Breed series, but this series is not an exception)...or is this just my impression?

5 comments about Brotherhood of Warriors: Behind Enemy Lines with a Commando in One of the World's Most Elite Counterterrorism Units.

1. I heard the author Aaron Cohen on a radio interview and decided to buy the book. Once I started reading, I could not put it down. It is much more than an inside look at the clandestine warriors on the front lines of the international war against terrorism. It is a coming of age journey about a young man who finds himself and the meaning of life amidst the most extreme circumstances imaginable.
   
   My girlfriend thought it might not appeal to her, but she started reading it after I finished and now she can't put it down. This would make an amazing movie.



2. This book tells an an astonishing story of an 18 year old who gave up the option of the "good life" in Los Angeles to pursue some of the most difficult training and dangerous counter terror missions imaginable. (Look for the scene of Cohen going undercover to meet a terrorist big shot in a Jerusalem cafe.) It's a fast-paced, exciting memoir, one of the best I've read in years. Once I started, I couldn't put it down. Highly recommended to anyone interested in current affairs, counter terrorism and national security.



3. I heard the author being interviewed on the Michael Savage radio show and immediately went out to buy the book. I was definitely not disappointed an excellent read from a person who had everything except that which he felt was missing from his life which he went out to discover and found. A great book 100 stars could not put the book down once I started reading it. Hopefully he goes on a book signing tour or this is made into a movie



4. A compelling read, very well-written and a good balance of very personal perspective and simply amazing descriptions of the brutal selection and training of Israel's top counter-terror commandos (as done in the 1990's).
   
   Cohen, like his instructors and fellows, pulls no punches discussing the positives and negatives of the process. His own experience of how this kind of preparation forever changes the men who survive it, and then how the work itself inevitably degrades social connectedness and relationships is as psychologically detailed and perceptive as anything I've ever read, and I commend his ruthless honesty.
   
   He also gives a fond but hard-eyed look at the changing Israeli society and the often unfortunate way it is absorbing some of our less positive qualities.
   
   VERY highly recommended. A great read.



5. Amazing book, great detail and as was said before, no punches pulled. From the uncertainty of growing up to gaining his confidence with the Israeli Defence Force (IDF), Mr. Cohen details his experiences growing up in the US to his making aliyah to Israel and going through his training to join one of if not the toughest counterterrorism military units in the entire world. I certainly believe that his experiences could go a long way in making sure that the next time you travel in an aiport you don't get questioned by some person who only has their GED and can't wait to get home. Instead you're questioned by a person who knows why they are there and are vigilant in their search for the next terror threat. It drives home the point of "Security with a Purpose". People in Israel deal with terror threats on a daily basis and taking what they've learned and have put into use could only help to make our country that much more secure. Are there points in the book that may offend people?? Yes, such as the profiling that happens on a daily basis in Israel, however with that in mind, understand that most of the bombings occurring there are perpetrated by Arabs. It's a simple fact of life.

5 comments about Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10.

1. As a vet of the military, I have always had great respect for people who join the special forces. I was very interested in this account, as I had been heartbroken to read the news back in 2005. The SEALS are a relatively small community and to lose 2 seal teams was a devastating loss.
   
   That being said, I agree with a previous reviewer in that I wish Luttrell had focused more on his buddies that did not make it out of Afghanistan alive. They can never tell their stories and he had such a wonderful opportunity here to do so, I'm disappointed that he didn't take advantage of that opportunity. This book gives you a detailed account of what it's like to be a Navy SEAL and a very tragic account of what happened up in the mountains of Afghanistan. The courage of the men who serve in the SEALs is, to me, unfathomable. What they went through, and that they fought until the very end without giving up was heartbreaking.
   
   Luttrell put too much of his personal political views (alhtough none of which were backed up with any facts)into this book by constantly blaming the "liberals" for everything that went wrong. The book could have done without that. Other than that, I came away from this book more impressed with the men who become Navy SEALs than I was before. It's a good read, and I think, an important story to get out to the public.



2. This book will renew your faith in the American fighting Man and also reveals that there are still heroes today in the American Military.



3. Marcus Luttrell writes a powerful book that shows the hardship of training, the perfection of the SEAL, and the courage of men.
   
   Marcus is one of the participants of Operation Redwing where nineteen special forces members died in one day. I remember the news stories back when I was in college. I remember seeing Michael Murphy's photo on television. Murphy is probably my idea of how a SEAL should look like; cool, calm, and incredibly fit. I felt a sort of sadness come over me when I saw Murphy's photo on television. Some time later, I heard Murphy got the Medal Of Honor and I knew from the get go after seeing a picture of this man, that he must of died heroically and probably behaved like how a true SEAL should to the end.
   
   Now I have the chance to read over the story about Operation Redwing. I was more interested in hearing what Murphy did that day, but then I found that Marcus did a wonderful job explaining the whole thing; from training to how he survived the slaughter.
   
   I won't go into much details about the story since I think most people will know the entire story. The one important lesson I learned about the training was take it one minute at a time, don't think about the future or how you will perform in the future; think about right now. I think this is an important life lesson that can be used outside of physical training and into everyday life.
   
   By the end of the story I was a bit sad. Marcus was rescued by villagers in the Afghan mountains and these people protected Marcus with their life. Not only that, they took the time to insure that Marcus would be rescued and that the Taliban didn't have the last shot. I was a bit sad that to hear about the village children and how the Taliban abused the children while they tried to gather things for Marcus. I was also surprised by how people gathered around Marcus's parents and family. I think it goes to show that even though the media might make it seem like everyone is against the current war in the Middle East, people still care about friends and families. I think it goes to show that America is a great country and its citizens care about others just as much as they care about themselves.
   
   Overall, I am happy with the book. I am sad of the fact how we lost so many young people, but I think the key thing about this book is that there are good people out there who are willing to lend you a hand when you're down. I heard another good book is Bravo Two Zero. I am planning to read that book in the future.



4. This book is a portrayal of a Navy SEAL - his early upbrining, the SEAL training program that so few pass and most importantly, his role in an operation in Afganistan that ended in disaster for his team and a rescue team. His biases and perspectives are not mine, but I didn't mind hearing them - after all, they probably reflect widely held beliefs within the military... On the other hand, there are parts of the book that stretch credulity (Marcus shot an Afgan between the eyes, who then fell screaming over a cliff), and there is more fluff than needs to be. Overall, a disappointment.



5. I really wanted to read this book, but found I couldn't get past the first 40 pages. The author he can't keep his personal political beliefs out of the narrative. If I heard one more great thing about George Bush or let's hear more about the "liberal American Media". Come on! Enough already, how about a good war story, not a rant taken from the Bill O'Reilly Show. And I'm sorry but modesty is not part of this guys lexicon. Ok, Ok, I get it the Seals are the Greatest soldiers, fighters, shooters, cooks, gardeners, painters, etc, in the world. Look I really wanted to like this book, but this guys ego and self righteous political comments were too much. Sometimes hearing someone being humble instead of saying how great they are goes down a little easier. I should have know when the jacket of the book had two good reviews, both from texas ( here's a little hint the author is also from texas).